


Royal Pain

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, I Don't Even Know, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-07
Updated: 2013-07-07
Packaged: 2017-12-18 01:03:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/873925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a hunt that ended in the deaths of a few knights, Arthur has had a bit too much to drink.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Royal Pain

**Author's Note:**

> This was going to be a part of a longer fanfiction, but I don't think I'll ever get to it, so I'm posting this little section I wrote ahead of time.

Merlin stared down at the completely trashed man before him, who was laying in his bed, barely holding back laughter. The greatest king Camelot had ever seen. Right.

Merlin slowly took a seat on the edge of the bed, and Arthur rolled onto his back, their sides brushing. Neither of them made any move to correct that. The physical contact was a sort of comfort, almost. Arthur pressed his hands to his eyes, still smiling. 

“You can go, you know. I might be drunk but I can still manage on my own.”

“You and I both know that’s not true.”

Arthur let out a short, soft laugh, sounding almost sober for a moment, then broke out into true laughter. Merlin smiled, and Arthur rolled onto his side, nearly doubled over with laughter. 

After a moment, the king rolled back onto his back, his gaze settling on the sorcerer, smile settling to a warm, again almost-sober look. “You don’t have to be here, really. I know you don’t want to be. I know I must be a real... a royal pain.” Hardly choking back laughter again, Arthur closed his eyes. 

“Right, a royal pain. But you’re wrong, I don’t mind being here.”

“That’s another lie we both know. You don’t even like me all that much. I wouldn’t like me. I treat you horribly.” It had started off almost jokingly, but by the end of his sentence, the king seemed truly sad, showing he thought his words to be true. 

“Arthur, you know you’re my best friend and I’d die for you. You may be a prat, but I don’t hate you.” 

The king looked up at him, his expression like that of a child. Merlin smiled down at him, almost a sad smile, hoping that Arthur believed him. Things like this didn’t happen often with Arthur, and when they did, it was always hard. He’d been betrayed by many, and Merlin didn’t blame Arthur for his wariness, but he wished he could just make Arthur see beyond his loyalty, see that they really were as close as friends could get, maybe even closer. The tension since their last hunt-gone-wrong was unavoidable, but that didn’t change how close they were, and at least they were talking again. Merlin tried not to think about the fact that the deaths of the knights was most likely the reason for Arthur’s current state. He didn’t blame Arthur. Not at all. It was hard on both of them, in many senses; harder on Arthur, who undoubtedly blamed himself. But it didn’t change the fact that they were friends, and always would be. 

The king, apparent by his expression, was still hesitant to accept Merlin’s words. “You do like me?”

“Of course.”

“Do you like me a lot?”

“Yes, I’d say so.”

Arthur smiled then, pulling himself up and wrapping his arms tightly around Merlin. Very tightly.

“A-Arthur, please, not so tight, remember-”

“Oh! Right, sorry!” Arthur immediately loosened his grip, pulling back so he could see Merlin’s face. “I forgot.” Merlin rested a hand over his side, bandaged now but still quite sore.

“First time for everything, I suppose,” Merlin smirked at him. It wasn’t like Arthur to forget. Not something like this, at least. Not even for a second. Alcohol could do that to a person. 

Arthur nodded, looking a bit guilty, so Merlin pulled him back into a hug, a better one this time. 

Merlin pulled back again after a few moments. “I think I should probably go soon, though, it’s getting late.”

Arthur laughed. “It’s been late. It’s been late for hours.”

Merlin nodded. “Exactly. Is there anything you want me to do before I leave?”

“No, no. Of course not. Even if there was something I needed done, I’d call for someone else.”

Merlin took a minute to bask in that. Then something odd happened.

Arthur took Merlin’s hands in his own, and when Merlin caught his eyes, the king once more looked near sober. He let them rest, the backs of Arthur’s fingers brushing Merlin’s stomach. They sat like that for what seemed like longer than it really was. The silence of the night weighed down, and the candlelight flickered. Arthur seemed to be thinking something over, then lowered his gaze momentarily.

“Goodnight, Merlin.” He leaned forward, and very lightly, pressed his lips to Merlin’s forehead. 

Shocked by the gesture, Merlin simply nodded his reply and left, quickly and without so much as a look back, the candles going out behind him, almost magically.


End file.
